The Pittsburgh Steelers had a solid defensive showing for the majority of 2022, especially in the secondary. The team tied the San Fransisco 49ers a season ago with 20 interceptions, which was tied for the most in the league. With Terrell Edmunds and Cameron Sutton leaving in free agency, the organization has many options in the draft, but also a solid group on the depth chart going into it. Who could we see lined up around Minkah Fitzpatrick in 2023?
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Steelers' potential first-round draft pick, Joey Porter Jr.
Options in the Draft:
Pittsburgh holds three top 50 picks in the 2023 NFL Draft. This begs the question, what is the franchise going to do? There is a lot of talk about drafting a cornerback with pick 17, but there is plenty of talent at several other different positions.
Pick 17: Joey Porter Jr.
Joey Porter Jr. is already embezzled deep in Steelers' culture. His dad is Steelers' legend Joey Porter and he has been around the team since he was young. He has also turned into a tremendous football player and there are stories about him lining up against Antonio Brown at practice:
Hines Ward today told me a story of Joey Porter Jr. coming to Steelers practice as a high schooler, lining up against Antonio Brown 1-on-1 and jamming him a couple times.
— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) April 20, 2023
"You could see the lightbulb go off in his head. He (still) doesn't realize how talented he is."
Porter Jr. would add his tremendous ability to the Steelers in 2023, has already been around the organization and hopefully will be for years to come.
Pick 32: Brian Branch
Brian Branch is the versatile safety from Alabama that has projected to be a late first early second-round pick. The Safety/Corner hybrid has slipped a little in draft grade, but this should not scare the Steelers away at all. Branch is an intelligent football player with the ability to play single-high, and step down into the box for support.
His NFL comparison is Fitzpatrick and Branch has even said he would love to play with Pittsburgh's star defender. With the departure of Edmunds, it seems like a Steelers match made in heaven.
Alabama's Brian Branch lines up as he creeps towards the line of scrimmage during a college football game for the University of Alabama. | Photo Credit: AP Photo / Vasha Hunt
Pick 49: DJ Turner II
DJ Turner II from the University of Michigan has huge potential. He has run a 4.26 and included a 10' 11" broad jump. He initially came out graded as the second-highest corner prior to the 2022 season.
Turner is a young corner who is not afraid to get physical. Turner's size is the only thing that gives scouts pause as he weighs in at only 178 pounds. His short stature leads to some receivers knocking him around when running routes.
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Steelers safety, Damontae Kazee
Current Options On The Steelers
Safety: Damontae Kazee
Kazee coming back to the Steelers could lead to big things in 2023. The Steelers losing Edmunds to the Philadelphia Eagles has led to people wondering who will play next to Fitzpatrick in 2023.
Kazee only started four games in 2022, but had 20 combined tackles and two INTs while making his moments count. He is someone Fitzpatrick already knows how to work with and could help stabilize the secondary.
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Steelers cornerback, James Pierre
Cornerback: James Pierre
Pierre is still a young corner on the roster who has not seen a ton of starting reps. He signed a one-year contract and only started in just six over the three years that he has been on the team. Pierre still has a lot to prove.
He has shown flashes that he can be a good corner for the Steelers, but has problems with consistency. At only 26 years old, he can still sharpen his game and maybe fit into the Steelers' scheme as a full-time starter.
What do you think the Steelers should do with the secondary? Who should the team draft? Let us know in the comments!.
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